Russell J. Oakes - The Voice of Jerome Keddle

Brief description

Russell Oakes' The Voice of Jerome Keddle forms part of the Campbell Howard Collection of Australian Plays in Manuscript, a resource that provides a unique body of research material concerning Australian drama of the period 1920–55.

Full description

Play Length: Three Acts: Five Scenes
Synopsis: A murder mystery. A young couple, Jim and Enid Elder, arrive at their new house, Stormont station. The housekeeper's husband, Jerome Keddle, acts insanely. He believes the house is his property and orders the new owners to leave. In a heated moment, Jim threatens him. Jerome is murdered. His wife is a suspect, as is the neighbour Strom who loves Esma and wants to take her away. Another neighbour, Eddy Quilton, is also a suspect. The police Sergeant assembles all the characters. The disembodied voice of Jerome Keddle is heard moning, "Don't let them get my gold." Acts Two and Three revolve around police investigations. The voice turns out to be a gramopohone recording played by Esma to flush out the killer - ironically, the sympathetic character Strom who loves her and offers her a better life.
Setting:
The hall of "Stormont" station, a lonely house, ten miles out from a small country town. The action all takes place in one night, from soon after dusk until dawn.
I The hall of "Stormont" station
II The same. An hour later.
III The same. Several minutes later.
Characters:
ESMA KEDDLE
JIM ELDER
ENID, Jim's wife
CRISBY, Emma's nephew
SGT. WRIGHT, A Police Sargeant
MRS MAXWELL
JEROME KEDDLE, Esma's husband
DAYNE STROM, a neighbour
EDDY QUILTON
TROOPER GORDON

Notes

NUNE: Campbell Howard Collection.

Details for description taken from the Campbell Howard Annotated Index of Australian Plays 1920-1955, compiled and edited by Jack Bedson and Julian Croft.